


Between the pages

by mikimin



Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: College!AU, F/M, M/M, nerd!thomas, popular!newt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-18
Updated: 2016-03-26
Packaged: 2018-05-27 09:23:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6278824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikimin/pseuds/mikimin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Newt opened the boring Greek history book he found more than what he expected: Hope, love, hurt... all in a single note: all those feelings you were supposed to read in books were in a yellow post-it  that hung loosely between the pages of the book<br/>“It may seem boring” it read  “but it get's better”<br/>And with that, their story started</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In the library

**Author's Note:**

> This is not my best work  
> I promise to try to do it better in future chapters

He was sitting near his favorite tree, with the wind ruffling his blond hair while he waited. Waited for what? He didn't know. Maybe he was waiting for time. Or for someone to come and rescue him from his miseries and loneliness. Or maybe he was waiting...

“Bloody finally, Teresa” He said when his friend finally approached him, with her long brown hair swirling behind her with her fast walking “I thought that like in “Waiting for Godot” you would never come”

“And leave you here forever without my amazing perfect and necessary company? I'm not that cruel, Newt!” She answered. The eluded rolled his eyes, but smiled at her nevertheless. “And really, Newt, stop using books in every sentence you say. I don't even know how can you be so popular with the endless bullshit you talk”

“Because I'm hot, Teresa” he said while standing up and joining his friend on the way to the college library.

“Of course,” she mocked “How could I forget his hotness, oh, my great master?” She left out a chuckle that the blonde mimicked some seconds after.

 

The rest of the walk to the library was silent. Neither of them felt the need to fill the silences with pointless words when the silence itself enclosed more meaning than any words they could utter. They may be best friends (if you could call them that, they were merely friends; even acquaintances would describe their relationship better than “best friends”) but they didn't feel the need to talk at every moment. If any of them had something important to say they said it, but if they didn't, then the silence was preferred. Specially for Newt, that unlike Teresa, was not a blabbermouth.

Shortly after leaving the tree they found themselves in the library, going for their usual table at the end of the room and near the windows, and fortunately, far from the group of girls that always were there, chatting and painting their nails like if the room was the cafeteria and not the bloody library; but they were popular enough to not be kicked out of there.

 

Of course not all of them were annoying little brats: Brenda, a petite brunet with short hair was mildly tolerable, but the rest of the girls were more than just annoying.

“So, what book do you want today, master” said Teresa with a devilish snicker, while some student shushed her, but seemed to ignore the laugh of the girls of the fourth table.

“Unfortunately today I have to read something for a class project” he said with a sad sigh, and, surprisingly, without being shushed for it; perks of being popular.

“Suit yourself” was the simple answer he received; Teresa was probably scared of being shushed again (scared of having yet another detention for punching the bloody shank that dare shushing her, that's it)

 

Newt walked through the isles filled with books; books that he had already read or that he wanted to (or that he wouldn't touch even with a stick)

He walked trough the shelves full of books of every size and shape. Books of adventures, love, romances that would last for a lifetime because they were there, plastered in paper forever. Secrets that were shared between multitudes and that will always be revealed. Words that will always be read and that will never grow old.

 

He finally reached the shelf that he was looking for and that was covered with a thin layer of dust in front of some of the books due their lack of success or use. He touched with his index finger all the books, looking for the one that he needed for the project, finding it finally in the third row of books.

He grabbed the book without paying attention to the dustless surface it was placed in and walked back to his table, throwing the book carelessly, making it land with a sonorous thud, startling Teresa that was already reading her book.

 

“Very classy, Newt” she said, placing her right hand over her heart “Are you trying to kill me or something?”

“Just trying to make the bloody book disappear so I don't have to present the project. But it didn't work” Teresa muttered a light “obviously” and that made Newt answer with a smile “but if you died I would have an excuse to skip class...”

“I'm not gonna die for you, Newt, sorry, you'll have to do your readings”

Newt sighed while sitting, faking disappointment and started to go rapidly through the pages of the book when something colorful caught his attention. He tried to find it again, going through the pages at a fast pace when he found it: it was a yellow post-it note that was pressed on the page number 25 and that had a phrase written with elegant but clearly masculine handwriting

“It may seem boring” it read “but it get's better ;)”

Newt grabbed the post-it, detaching it off the page and pressed it on the table to continuing going through the pages to see if he could find more.

On page 45 there was another: “You're doing it great!” was on the paper this time

For the next 10 minutes he completely forgot about his work and kept going through the pages instead, collecting all the little notes full of messages of encouragement or funny comments about some passages that Newt ended reading too so he could feel what the author of the post-its felt when he read them.

After twenty productive minutes he closed the books, with more information than the one he needed for the project, more than fifteen little yellow notes by his side, and with a wide grin in his face.

“That's it?” Teresa said, looking at the closed book in front of Newt “What's that?” she said again, this time pointing at the yellow post-its.

“Nothing” he answered with a smile, putting the notes in his case and closing it.

He then grabbed a post-it of his (or Teresa's, because he didn't have any) own, and, after writing a message of his own he put it in the book, and left it on its shelf.

He finally grabbed “Pride and Prejudice” (the book that he was currently reading) and after opening it in the chapter five (where he left it the day before) he started reading, still thinking about the stranger that made his afternoon brighter and hoping that he would answer the simple “Thanks for everything. I'm keeping the post-its. Would you like a coffee in return?” that he left on page 250.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day Newt was sitting in class, bored like always, trying to guess who was the mysterious stranger that left the post-it notes that he still had safely hidden in his case. Maybe he was a senior. Or a sophomore. Or... what if he was a teacher? An old teacher with a cane and, what's worse, a wife?

Another thing he hadn't thought the day before, but that was plaguing his mind was the possibility of him not being in college anymore. Maybe he was already working in some low- class museum, bored of his life and his cats and not even remembering the notes that he left in a book some years prior, but that brightened Newt's day (or week, who knew)

For the glue that could still be appreciated in the post-its, they seemed quite new, but he wasn't completely sure.

He was sure of one thing, though: It couldn't be the old librarian: firstly, because she was an old boring and grumpy woman that didn't seem to even open the books that surrounded her (and she wouldn't be able to write an encouraging note even if her life depended on it), and secondly because Newt already knew her handwriting (he spent HOURS in that library, and he sometimes took the books home, so he was really an acquaintance with her and her handwriting)

 

He spent several hours the day before and the current day thinking about the stranger. Was the Greek history book the only one blessed with the notes, or were there more? Maybe he left his phone in some other book that was so out of Newt's usual interests that he missed it completely.

And then a devastating thought crossed his mind: The library was a public one, and everyone could just go and grab the books, so, what if someone else had read the notes before him? What if they already looked for the owner of the messages and were dating him? Or worst, what if the notes were for some concrete person, to encourage them through the reading; encouraging messages done by a loving boyfriend.

He decided that the best would be to run to the library and grab his own post-it and toss it in the trash to save him of the embarrassment, so when the bell sounded, he quickly grabbed his things and stormed out of the door, ignoring Teresa's pleas for him to wait for her.

 

He rushed to the library, opening the door and not caring about the noise or about his following class (that should be starting in a couple of minutes if the professor was late, like always) and went to the shelf he visited the day before, grabbing the book and going through the pages till he arrived to page 250, to find it empty. The words of the books were still there, but his message was nowhere to be found. He left the book in a nearby table and started going frantically through the pages, and when he was about to give up, he found a note at the end of the book; a yellow note with the same handwriting of those he had in his case and that was surely not there the day before was waiting for him, in the last page, and with a message that filled Newt's heart of hope and happiness “I'm glad you enjoyed the book and my notes, but of course I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book!”

He re-read the message, trying to look for a hidden message; a hidden “I accept the coffee, let's date” or an “I love you, let's take a coffee” but he found nothing like that.

He decided to take that post-it too nevertheless, place the book on its shelf and leaving the library, this time much calmer, and going to his next class that was very much started by now.

 


	2. The accident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newt finally finds what he was looking for. Kind of.

Newt was kind of depressed after the futile rejection of his coffee invitation (kind of depressed and really over-reacting), but he found himself again in the library with Teresa the same afternoon.

The library was surprisingly rather empty and quiet. It was strange because people were still gathering around the tables. Some were whispering with their friends and some others were diligently doing their work or reading. It all looked like it always did, but it felt... strange somehow. Different. More welcoming...

“ Look, the annoying girls are not here today” and like always, Teresa was one step ahead of him. That was the reason. The group of girls that always sat on the fourth table were nowhere to be seen and that was a blessing in Newt's eyes (and ears)

 

The two friends walked to their usual table that was already occupied by another person: Minho Kwan, a friend of both was sitting in their table with a pile of books beside him and one book opened in front of him

“wow Min. I thought you didn't know what a library was. Or where it is, for that matter” Newt joked, while placing his backpack on the table and falling unceremoniously in one of the chairs opposite to the asian “to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?”

“I have a shucking exam tomorrow and I don't know anything. Apparently the douche said the date one of the days I skipped and no one told me”

“How many chapters?” asked then Teresa, who was now seated beside Newt.

“Fourteen” moaned the asian, passing his hand through his hair and messing it

“And what chapter are you studying now?”

“I just finished reading the title of the first chapter” he was looking at the book, and then his frown deepened and he raised his head, looking at his friends “Does it count?” After seeing his friends raising an eyebrow he himself answered the question “I suppose not...”

“Well....” Teresa whispered, sensing her friend's uneasiness and trying to help “Maybe it won't be that hard.” but before she could finish her sentence he groaned an “It's Janson's” and Newt started to giggle, Teresa followed him soon after, despite of her guilty look.

“You're screwed, man” said the blonde after calming the insistent chuckles that were still trying to scape from his mouth “what were you thinking? You shouldn't be so careless. You know Janson. You fail one exam and forget about passing the subject”

“I know” I just thought I could, you know, get the nerd's notes, but he had to have a shucking accident Today, and now I have to READ. 14 shucking chapters. ME. Read. A book. With WORDS”

“With your use of grammar I'm surprised you even know how to read”

“Wait, what Nerd did you mean? What accident?” Teresa quickly interfered, worry clear on her face.

“You know... the nerd...” Minho said, scratching his head.

“You don't even know his name, do you?” Newt laughed again, hitting the table with his left hand while his right one whipped the tears that started to form in his eyes. Man, Minho always knew how to make him laugh. Even if it wasn't his intention.

“I do know his name” answered the asian, crossing his arms “Is Grenee.... something Grenee”

“Something Greene?” chuckled Newt “How precious, Min. It's clear you have the hots for the fella. When is the wedding? I hope I'm the groomsman” the laugh was almost worth the kick he received from his friend. Almost.

 

 

“Well” said Minho after some minutes of silence (from his part, at least; Newt and Teresa had been talking about some Tv show he didn't know) clearly preferring gossiping over studying “apparently the guy, you know, the nerd... Greene” Newt had to suppress a chuckle “he was here in the library trying to grab a book or something from one of the shelfs when supposedly someone pushed him and he collided with it and the thing just fell. On him”

“Oh my God! Did he die?” Teresa was covering her mouth with one of her hands, while her eyes went big with worry.

“Nah. Just got injured. Maybe a contusion or some broken bones, but not dead”

“Wow, Min. You seem bloody worried. I think that the shelf is not the only thing that fell, you clearly fell in love with the guy. I can see the worry leaving your pores. Be careful, people may start to think that you have a heart below your big amount of muscles and ego”

“In my opinion the guy is lucky. He doesn't have to study fourteen shucking chapters for tomorrow” he said, totally ignoring his friend's insults.

“Yeah, Minho, really lucky” Teresa rolled her eyes and stood up, ready to get their books “pride and prejudice?” she asked Newt, and the blonde just nodded and whispered a quick “thanks”

“And “the annoying” Newt asked, pointing to the table where the group of chattering girls usually sat “Did they have an accident too?” the smirk in his face was a clear demonstrative of his worry for them.

“Nah. I think Sonya saw the accident and was the one who called the ambulance. Some say she's in the hospital with him, ya' know? For moral support. Him having no friends and all”

Newt only hummed, not asking why Sonya not being there was excuse for the rest to be missing as well, knowing the answer already: she was the reason they were there in the first place. The reason why SHE was there remained a mystery, but the rest were just clearly just following her.

“Newt, you're gonna think I'm crazy...” Teresa started after sitting in her chair, a single book in her hands “but that shelf was empty. Completely empty. Not only “Pride and Prejudice”. All the books are gone”

“Maybe it's the one that fell on the dude. I think that they grabbed the books that fell and put them in a room somewhere. Maybe they're going to revise them to see if there's blood or something”

“Did the shank bleed?” Newt asked, surprised, raising an eyebrow.

“How I'm supposed to know? I was not here.”

“If you take so much care of your future husband, I'm worried about your future kids” he answered while reaching for his phone “I'll just look for the bloody book online, then”

“Seriously? But you hate readying in your phone! Just grab another book. This is a library, ya' know? Full of books and stuff” Minho said, raising his arms and opening them wide, like trying to point at the whole room at the same time.

“Thanks, captain obvious” he smirked “But I can't start a book if I haven't finished the previous one. It just feels wrong. It's like... like cheating”

“Newt, you usually cheat on all your exams” Teresa said with a sigh.

“And on boys” the smirk on Minho's face shown his self-pride after his quick comeback.

“Okay, so.... it's worse than cheating” and then Newt's smirk intensified, like if he thought something smart and funny “It's like dying, or worse... being expelled” Both Teresa and Minho facepalmed after this (even though Teresa facepalmed Newt instead of herself) but the three friends started to laugh.

 

After some shushing from Jorge, the old Spanish librarian that always seemed annoyed instead of bored like the usual one, the three of them stopped their laughing and started to read their books.

Newt grabbed his phone and after quickly glancing at his messages he opened one free- books application and started to look for “Pride and Prejudice” to continue with his reading.

 

 

Some hours later, Teresa and Minho averted their glances from their books when the sound of Newt's chair falling to the ground scared them, and they saw how their blonde friend was quickly approaching Jorge with a determined look on his face.

“What do you want, muchacho?”

“I want all the copies of “Pride and Prejudice” that you have. Now.”

“I'm sorry but they're being checked to see if they broke or ripped” the man answered, crossing his arms over his chest.

“They're books, not computers, they can't break from a fall. And half the books in here are broken or stained anyway. Come on, man, just hand me the books. I'm always here, you know me, you can trust me. And I'm sure there are not that many copies anyway, right?”

 

Wrong. He was, oh, so wrong. Five minutes later, after some insistence, he finally convinced Jorge to give him the copies of the work, and then he found himself in his table with more than fifteen books.

“Why do people need so many copies of the same book? And one that's so OLD. I'm sure this book has more years than me.” He grabbed one of the copies and started to look at it from all the possible angles, his frown deepening seeing the dust the covered the covers.

“The book was written more than 200 years ago, Min, of course it's older than you.” Newt smirked, quickly going through the pages of yet another copy. “I'm sure half this copies weren't even in the shelf and they just had them somewhere”

“I was talking about this particular book, Newt. I know that the original was written in 1813 by Jane Austen” his smirk of superiority quickly disappeared after Teresa's answer:

“You just read that in the cover, didn't you?” “Of course not”

 

But Newt didn't hear them talking because he finally found what he was looking for: there, in the eleventh chapter of one of the oldest copies of pride and prejudice, and just above the quote that was in the note that he found that morning, but that he hadn't recognized till now that he had read it in his phone, was a yellow post-it note with the masculine handwriting that he was now pretty much really acquainted with (after reading the previous notes over a hundred times).

“I'm glad you found this. So, about that coffee... when and where? ;)” Newt's smile couldn't grow any bigger.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter!
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you so much to all the people that left kudos and comments, you made me really happy and helped me continue writing this!!!  
> I didn't expect to get so many kudos! (I was hoping for 5, not 16. It really made my week ;)
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter as well.
> 
> "The stranger" will be introduced in the next chapter (I hope)
> 
> I'm sorry if this one was kind of boring. I promise that the next one will be better (I'll try)
> 
>  
> 
> I'll be waiting for your kudos, comments and criticisms.
> 
> Thanks again!

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic and English is not my first language, so I hope this doesn't suck too much
> 
> I don't even know why I decided to publish this. It sucks. A lot. I'm sure.
> 
> Never mind, probably no one is going to read this anyway lol.
> 
> Anyway, if someone does read, please comment to let me know if I should even consider continuing this (or continuing writing for that matter)  
> Who am I kidding? I will continue writing, no matter what lol
> 
>  
> 
> Anyways, I hope you liked it, and thanks for reading


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